Bruce Arena Elected To National Soccer Hall Of Fame Class Of 2010

Former U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Named to Hall on Builder Ballot;Arena Named on 78 Percent of the Ballots to Earn Election to Hall

Former U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Named to Hall on Builder Ballot; Arena Named on 78 Percent of the Ballots to Earn Election to Hall

Carson, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2010) – Bruce Arena, whose coaching record includes two FIFA World Cups with the U.S., two MLS Cup titles and five NCAA Championships, has been elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2010 on the Builder ballot.

Arena was named on 78 percent of the ballots. In 2009, Arena was the leading vote-getter on the Builder ballot, but did not meet the requirement of being named to 50 percent of the ballots to earn election.

“Bruce Arena’s passion for the game, ability to build exceptionally competitive teams at the collegiate and the professional level, and his outstanding work with the U.S. Men’s National Team are well known and highly regarded by his colleagues and opponents,” HOF President Jonathan Ullman stated. “His tremendous record of service in soccer and success in the game has earned him election to the Hall of Fame.”

One of the most successful coaches in the history of soccer in the United States, Arena has already left his mark on the collegiate, professional and national team levels. In 18 seasons at the University of Virginia (seven of which he was also an assistant men’s lacrosse coach), Arena won five national championships, including a dynastic four in a row from 1991-1994 on his way to an overall 295-51-31 record that effectively built the Cavaliers’ program.

Arena left Virginia to take the head coaching position at newly-created D.C. United in the inaugural MLS season in 1996. Along with the MLS Cup, the 1996 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title earned D.C. the “Double” for the year, cementing the club in U.S. Soccer history. D.C. United went on to repeat its MLS Cup win in 1997, earning Arena MLS Coach of the Year honors.

Named as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team after a disappointing 1998 FIFA World Cup, Arena built one of the most successful stretches in U.S. Soccer history. The height of his success on the national level was leading the team to their best-ever finish at the FIFA World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals in 2002 before losing a controversial game to world-power Germany. During his eight years as head coach, Arena compiled a record of 71-30-29, earning a .658 winning percentage.

After his time with the national team, Arena moved back into MLS, coaching the New York Red Bulls for a year and a half before being named general manager and head coach of the LA Galaxy in August of 2008. A year later, Arena led the Galaxy to the 2009 MLS Cup, falling to Real Salt Lake in a shootout. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame as a Builder, an individual in a non-playing capacity must have demonstrated a major, sustained and positive impact on U.S. soccer on a national or first division professional level for a minimum of 10 years.

The selection committee for the Builder election consists of select soccer administrators and all Hall of Famers. The committee members vote for up to five Builders from the list of eligible candidates an annual 10-person ballot determined by a screening committee. One Builder can be elected each year and must have appeared on at least 50 percent of the ballots

Arena joins Thomas Dooley and Preki Radosavljevic, the Player electees to the Class of 2010. Results of the Veteran Player ballot will be released at a future date. The 2010 induction ceremony will likely be scheduled for this summer. Details are still being finalized and will be announced at a later date.

During a more than 30-year career as a player, coach and manager, Bruce Arena has served as one of the bedrocks of the advancement of soccer in the United States. His record of success at the collegiate, professional, and international level is unsurpassed amongst U.S. coaches, collecting numerous honors including becoming one of only two coaches to win MLS Coach of the Year honors twice.

Responsible for the meteoric rise of the U.S. Men’s National Team after he took the reigns in 1998, Bruce Arena’s tenure at the helm of the U.S. team is regarded as the most successful in U.S. Soccer history. Under his leadership, the U.S. advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 72 years, collecting victories against Portugal and in the Round of 16 against Mexico in the 2002 tournament in Korea/Japan. Also during his tenure, the U.S. reached its highest-ever world ranking when they were listed fourth by FIFA in April of 2006. He led the U.S. to two CONCACAF Gold Cup titles in 2002 and 2005, as well as first place in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. That campaign included one of the best home records in qualifying history, as the U.S. went undefeated in five home games during the final round of qualifying without surrendering a single goal. During his eight years as head coach, Arena compiled a record of 71-30-29, earning a .658 winning percentage to become the all-time leader in wins amongst coaches in U.S. National Team history.

Domestically, Arena earned the chance to lead the U.S. with a legendary coaching career that began at the University of Virginia. In 18 seasons in Charlottesville, Arena won five national championships, including a dynastic four in a row from 1991-1994 on his way to an overall record of 295-51-31.

Arena left Virginia to take the head coaching position at newly created D.C. United in the inaugural MLS season in 1996. Charged with creating a team from scratch, Arena put together a championship caliber team in their first year while also coaching the U.S. Under-23 National Team through the 1996 Olympic Games. Along with the MLS Cup, the 1996 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title earned D.C. the “Double”, cementing the club in U.S. Soccer history. D.C. United went on to repeat as MLS Cup winners in 1997, earning Arena MLS Coach of the Year honors. A third straight appearance in the 1998 MLS Cup defied all expectations in a league predicated on parity, but D.C. United went one step further by becoming the first U.S. club to shine in international competitions, collecting the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup and then defeating famed Brazilian team Vasco da Gama to capture the 1998 Interamerican Cup.

After returning to MLS as the Head Coach and Sporting Director of the New York Red Bulls, he was hired in August of 2008 to resurrect the Los Angeles Galaxy. Taking over at a club that had failed to reach the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, Arena guided the team in 2009 to a 12-6-12 record and a first place finish in the Western Conference.